Bomb and like carriers for aircraft



Aug. 13, 1957 S. MEADOWCROFT EVAL.

BOMB AND LIKE CARRIERS FOR AIRCRAFT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed' July 15, 1954 in@ @atop-.S SMea/dowcpcjb Aug. 13, 1957 s, MEADOWCRQFT ErAL 2,802,397

BOMB AND LIKE CARRIERS FOR AIRCRAFT tice BMB AND LIKE CARRIERS :FOR AIRCRAFT Stanley Meadowcroft and George Carnac, Greengate, Middleton, Manchester, England, assignors to A. V. Roe c Company Limited, Greengate, Middletom Manchester,-England, a British company Application Eulyl, 1954, Serial Nope-12,958

Claims priority, application-Greatflritain l'uly 20, i953 `S `tllaims. (Gl. t 89-1\.5)

Bomb and like carriers (hereinafter for convenience termed bomb carriers) usually carry two rows of bombs,

t one below the other, `withthe bombs in one row staggered with relation to the bombs in the other row, the bombs being suspended from release units suitably electrically interlocked.

The object of the present invention is to provide simple `and reliable means by which three or more rows of `bombs can be conveniently suspended in the usual bomb carrier which is brought beneath and raised into an aircraft.

The top row of bombs, which may `be of any number, andthe second row which may be one more or one less in number than the top row are arranged as at present usual.

`row which frame is connected by saidtpivot pin .toa hook on a second pivoted frame or member suspended from the bomb carrier at the other side of said bomb in the rst row, the two pivoted frames or members passing between the said bomb in the lirst row and bombs in the second row to the point where the release unit of the third row bomb is suspended and a part associated with said hook which when there is a bomb suspended from the pivot pin in the hook is held inoperative, but when the said bomb is released, is adapted to push said pivot pin out of said hook for the purpose specified.

The invention further comprises a bomb carrier as aforesaid, in which the part associated with the hook is spring loaded, the spring load being insutcient to move the pivot pin in the hook out of the latter, until the third row bomb suspended from the hook has been released.

The invention further comprises a bomb carrier as aforesaid in which the pivoted frames or members have associated therewith crutches which come between the bomb and the tirst row and the two bombs in the second row which are immediately above the bomb in the third row suspended from the frames or members so as to give stability to the bomb formation when the third row bomb is raised into position.

Referring to the accompanying explanatory drawings:

Figure 1 is a general View showing one form of our improved means for supporting a third row of bombs in a bomb carrier.

Figure 2 is a side view of a frame constituting one of the members supporting a bomb in a third row of bombs, with means which are adapted to come between bombs in the rst and second row of bombs.

Figure 3 is a side View of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a side view of the suspension links which carry the hook supporting a bomb of the third row and Patented Aug. 13, 1957 interconnecting thefframe shown in FiguresZ and 3 to the t bomb. The hook andthe 4Vautomaticdisengaging mech* anism areshown inta Vertical position.

`Figure 5 Ishows in al'section the automatic disengaging mechanism in the position it occupies when there is a bomb suspended from thehook.

The triangulatedframe a` shown in Figure 2 and the upper ends of the two links b, c in Figure `4 are Vpivotally `suspended fromthe usualybomb carrier frame which is adapted to be raised into ,an aircraft.. The parts d which aresuspended from the pivotal connections e to the bomb carrier act as crutches and come as shown in Figure 1 between bombs in therstand second rows f and g respectively toA give stability-to the bomb formation when the rthirdrow ofIbombs are inposition.

The triangulated frame a, Figures 1, 2 and 3 carries a pin hwhichtis adapted tolbe placed in the hook i and to carry` in` conjunction `with the `pins j a pivotal structure k -having `thereinscrew and nutmechanism m, n by which a `bomb o of thelthirdtrow mounted on the pin p can be elevatedand suspended from thefhook j.

Associatedwiththe hook z' which comprises two similar `hookpartswith a gapbetween is a hook like part q which can move ,in said gap andsuch hook like part q is connected by arodr with a cap s-which rides on the top of a `con'ipression coil springt.

`Beforea bomb is `placedrinthe hook z', the part q may `be held in a lowered position, with the spring t compressed,

,by apin `passedfthrough` holes u in side members of the hook i and throughthepartq. When `a bomb is supported `in-the hookji,the;saidpinjis` removed so that the pressure ofthe sprnglt holds the hook-likepartq irmly-against `the pin 1h,;.butthe weight of the `bomb suspended ufrom .the hook prevents the-part qtfrom displacing the pin h from the hook.` Whenphowever, the suspendedgbomb o is re- `leased "by .the :usual automatic `bomb `release gear, V,the pressurerofrthefspring f acting through the part q is sufiicient to force the pin h out of the hook i, so that when the bombs g of the second row are released, the triangulated frame a and the interconnected links b, c can move clear of one another into Vertical positions, so clearing the way for the bomb f of the iirst row to be released.

What we claim is:

l. A bomb or like carrier for aircraft for supporting three superposed, horizontally arranged rows of mutually spaced bombs with the bombs in the top and bottom rows in Vertical alignment and the bombs in the middle row laterally staggered with relation to the bombs of the other rows so that two adjacent bombs in the middle row are on opposite sides of the vertical plane passing through the longitudinal axes of vertically aligned bombs of the top and bottom rows, said carrier including a main frame means, a release unit suspending each bomb in the bottom row, a pivoted frame suspended from the main frame means at one side of a bomb in the top row which is in vertical alignment with the suspended bomb on the bottom row, a pivot pin carried at the end of said pivoted frame and pivotally connecting said release unit therewith, a second pivoted frame suspended from the frame means at the opposite side of said bomb in the top row, a hook means carried by said second frame for coupling engagement with said pivot pin to connect the frames in positions passing between the said bomb in the rs't row and the adjacent bombs in the middle row, said release unit lying between said adjacent bombs, pin disengaging means operatively associated with said hook, and means maintaining said disengaging means inoperative as long as a bomb is suspended from the release unit and said last mentioned means being operative upon release of a suspended bomb to disengage said pin from said hook whereby when the said adjacent bombs in the middle row are released, said pivoted frames move to a position on opposite sides of said bomb in the top row so that the release path thereof is unob- Istructed.

o 2. A bomb carrier as claimed in claim 1 in which said pin disengagingV means comprises a movable cam, spring means opeartively associated with said cam and normally urging the same to movement to pin disengagingrpositionand said spring means Iloading said cam for move- A engage the pin from the hook until a bomb suspended from the release unit that is coupled withY said hook has been released.

' ment to pin disengaging position being ineffective to dis- 3. A bomb carrier as claimed in claim 1 and further including supporting crutch members movable with the pivoted frames for engaging between a bomb in the top row and the two adjacent bombs in the middle row, said release unit including means for raising a bomb into engagement with 1said adjacent bombs andv said crutch members stabilizing the bomb formation whiile the bomb in" the bottom row is'being raised. Y

-4. A bomb carrier for aircraft for supporting mutually spaced bombs in three superposed, horizontalrows` with the bombs of the bottom and top rows in vertical alignment and the bombs of the middle row laterally staggered relative to the bombs in the other rows whereby two adjacent bombs in`the middle row are on opposite sides of the vertical plane passing through the longitudinal axes alignment with said bomb in the top row and'said releasable coupling means including bomb-weight actuated components for maintaining the connection between the pivoted framesy as long as the bomb in the bottom row is suspended and said components being operative upon ponents for movement about axes parallel to the bomb' axes and toward and awayfrom one another beneath the position occupied by a bomb disposed between said twq' components, one of said frame means carrying a pivotV pin means, the other of, said frame means including a hook engageable with said pivot pin means whereby said framev means areL connected together beneath the position `occupied by a bomb that is between said components, a bomb release unit pivotally connected to said pivot pin means, said release unit being positioned between the positions occupied byyadjacent bombs suspended beneath of vertically aligned bombs in the top and bottom rows, said carrier including a frame means, a rst pivoted frame depending therefrom on one side of a bomb in the top row, a second pivoted frame depending beneath said frame means on the opposite side of the same bomb, said the. respective components, said release unit including components' for suspending a bomb therefrom and pin disengagingvmeans Ioperatively associated with said hook for disengaging the pivot pin meansj from the hook when j a bomb suspendedrfrom the release unit has been released whereby when bombs are no longer in positions beneath pivoted frames being movable toward and away from each f other and lying between the said bomb in the top row and the subjacent pair of adjacent bombs in the middle row, Vreleasable coupling means carried at the respective `free ends of said pivoted frames for connecting the same together, a release unit pivotally connected to one of said pivoted frames and disposed between the said adjacent f bombs in the middle row, said release unit including means for suspending a bomb in the bottom row in vertical said components said frames can swing apart to, be clear ofthe space between and beneath `said components.

References Cited in thelle lof this patent Y UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,379,364 Leland June 26, 1945 2,421,052 Cantley May 27, 1947 2,453,869 Slate Nov.V 16, 1948 2,630,741

Robert et al Mar. 101953 

